Inside The Bills

Bills head coach Chan Gailey had to work with second-year QB Tyler Thigpen in Kansas City back in 2008 after losing Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard to injuries. Going into that season Thigpen had attempted all of six passes in the NFL. That’s why Gailey is confident that Thigpen now in his sixth NFL season should be an even better player than the one he remembers in KC. What’s interesting is who Thigpen credits for helping him develop his game in the interim.

When asked where specifically he feels his game has improved he pointed to his fundamentals.

“The coaches in Miami did a really good job with me fundamentally,” he said. “Also from the mental aspect, I feel like I learned football and the way the game’s played being around Chad Pennington and Chad Henne. Those two guys are great studies of the game. Being able to sit there and follow behind those guys, learn the way they study film, the way they game plan each and every week. I definitely feel like I’m a better football player, I know the game. When I got to Miami, QB coach David Lee did a really good job of helping me understand the game. I give a lot of credit to Pennington and Henne, too. Those guys helped me out a lot.”

Thigpen isn’t the first quarterback to sing Pennington’s praises as a tutor teammate. One specific fundamental where Thigpen feels he’s improved the most is with his footwork since he last played for Gailey.

“I think footwork is the biggest thing for me as a quarterback in my game,” he said. “As long as my feet are right I pretty much feel like I can make any throw. I feel like I’ve definitely become a lot more accurate. That’s one of the things as a quarterback, you have to be accurate.”